The O'Malley Curse
by upsgurl88
Summary: Kaman - Kate moves into the house next door to Roman. Is the house haunted?
1. Default Chapter

Chapter One  
  
After working all night Roman pulled into his driveway shortly after 8am. When he saw the moving trucks next door he blinked and rubbed his eyes, feeling quite sure his mind was playing tricks on him. "I can't believe someone is moving into the old O'Malley house again. No one ever lasts for more than a few months in that place. Someone should have warned that poor sap, I wonder what's going to happen this time." Roman shook his head, "They should just tear that place down."  
  
He stepped out of the car and stretched, yawning loudly. He watched as two men carried a couch into the house, "I'm so tired but I really should go over there, maybe I can talk them out of moving in, maybe I should warn them before it's too late." Roman sighed, "How many times have I tried that in the past? No one ever listens to me anyway." He shrugged his shoulders, "Forget it, I'm not going to bother this time, let them find out on their own."  
  
He was just about to step inside when he glanced over at the O'Malley house and saw the new owner. Roman suddenly felt sick to his stomach, "Oh no what has she done. Dammit," he cursed loudly. He pulled the door shut and trudged across the lawn, "Kate, Kate," he hollered loudly.  
  
She turned and waved at Roman then gave the movers some instructions before walking towards him. Before she could say a thing Roman blurted out, "Kate, we need to talk."  
  
Kate glared at him "What no 'welcome to the neighbourhood'" she replied defensively.  
  
"Kate don't start with me, this is serious." Roman glanced over at the men lugging more furniture into the house. He dug a $50 bill out of his pocket and walked over to them. "Excuse me would you guys mind taking a break for half an hour or so. There's a donut shop just down the street." He handed them the money, which they gladly accepted.  
  
Kate stood with her mouth gaping as she watched the men walking away. Her eyes blazed with anger as she focused them on Roman. "What was that? Who the hell do you think you are Roman Brady?" she sputtered. "You are acting like a chauvinistic pig. What gives you the right to send my employees off like that?"  
  
Roman cut her off, "Would you just shut up for a minute and listen to me Kate. You can't move in that house. When the guys get back have them pack your stuff back up and find somewhere else to live."  
  
"You hate me that much Roman that you can't even stand to have me for a neighbour? Well you better get used to it because I am moving in here and there is nothing you can do to stop me," Kate shouted.  
  
Roman grabbed her arms and looked her straight in the eye, "Please Kate, this has nothing to do with me hating you. I'm doing this because I care about you Kate, I'm doing this out of concern."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about Roman? Just because we decided to put aside our differences for Will's sake doesn't mean you have to be concerned about me all of a sudden. Besides what's there to be concerned about? Unless of course you sun bathe in the nude in your back yard and you're worried I might see you because that could be very damaging to my mental state."  
  
"If you would just be quiet for a minute I'll tell you exactly why I'm concerned." Roman said angrily.  
  
She folded her arms across her chest and raised her eyebrows waiting for him to continue. "Kate that house is cursed, not to mention haunted. Did you not wonder why so many people have moved in and out of there?"  
  
"I just assumed it was because no one wanted Mr. Dudley Doright Cop for a neighbour," she shot back with a smirk.  
  
Roman groaned in frustration, "Would you quit trying to be funny! This is serious lady! I'm going to tell you the whole story and then you'll see exactly why you can't move in here."  
  
Kate clapped her hands in feigned delight, "Oh goody, Roman's gonna tell me a story. This should be good," she muttered.  
  
Roman ignored her and begun the story, "This house was built for a young couple, James and Karen O'Malley, many, many years ago. One day Karen came home early from work and found James in bed with her best friend Marg. Karen went absolutely crazy. She found a shot gun and killed James then shot Marg. Apparently Marg was into witchcraft or Voodoo and as she was lying on the floor bleeding to death Marg told Karen that she had cast a spell on James. James thought it was Karen he was making love to. Marg's final words were a curse, a curse on the house and on Karen. Karen was so grief stricken and guilt ridden she hugged her husbands dead body and ran from the house into the street covered in blood. She disappeared into the woods and no one seen or heard from her ever again." Roman paused and looked at Kate before continuing, "Kate every person that has moved into that house has seen Karen's ghost. She haunts that place. Some have even seen her committing the murder. No one ever stays in there for more than a few months. The worst part is that some sort of misfortune always seems to follow these people after they move out. Horrible things have happened Kate, who ever moves in that house is cursed."  
  
"Stop right now!" Kate said in any icy tone. "I don't know why you are trying to scare me like this Roman but it's not going to work! No go away and leave me alone before I get very angry!"  
  
"Fine Kate if that's what you want, I'm out of here." Roman shouted, "But don't you come knocking on my door in the middle of the night when you're scared shitless because I warned you Kate." He held up his hands and started to back away, "I warned you," he said again before turning and heading in to his house.  
  
Kate watched him walk away, she was furious. She took a deep breath, "Calm down," she told herself. "You just bought a beautiful home. You finally have a place of your own. Don't let Roman ruin it for you."  
  
She put the adrenaline rush the anger had brought on to good use and went in the house to begin unpacking. 


	2. Ch 2

Chapter Two  
  
Roman stomped into the house and slammed the door hard behind him, "God that woman is insufferable," he said in frustration. "I'm too tired to put up with her attitude besides why should I care anyway? If she wants to move in with the ghosts and inherit the O'Malley curse it's not my problem."  
  
He stripped down to his underwear and was about to crawl into bed but his curiosity got the better of him and he found himself peeking out his bedroom window to see what Kate was doing. He watched her barking orders to the movers and laughed out loud as he saw the men rolling their eyes. Kate looked towards the window and he quickly ducked down out of sight, immediately feeling foolish. "I'm acting like that nosey old broad on Bewitched," Roman sighed. "I need some sleep."  
  
He climbed into bed and pulled the covers over his head. In a matter of minutes he was snoring softly. The restful sleep didn't last for very long as a string of eerie dreams flooded his subconscious. He saw Kate running into the forest and he kept calling to her but she wouldn't stop. He started to run after her but she disappeared in to the dense bush. He began to toss and turn as the dreams became more intense. This time he was inside the O'Malley house, his heart was racing, he was looking for something but he didn't know what it was. He looked around the room at the four open doors surrounding him trying to decide which one to go through. Kate appeared in one of the doorways and beckoned to him. Roman began to walk towards her but suddenly the doors slammed closed one at a time, bang, bang, bang, BANG! The last thud echoed loudly throughout the room. As the echoes slowly faded away there was an eerie moment of silence which was shattered by a piercing scream. Kate's screams made the hair on his arms stand up. He ran towards the door and yanked on the handle, it wouldn't budge. He stepped back and charged at the door with his shoulder and it gave way. He stared into the blackness taking a small step forward and felt something on the floor in front of him. He reached down and his hand touched a warm sticky liquid, Roman couldn't see it but he knew it was blood. "Kate," he yelled desperately, "Where are you?" The screaming had stopped and he frantically made him way down the hall still yelling Kate's name. He tripped over something and landed flat on his face. A bright light suddenly illuminated the room and he found himself lying next to a lifeless body. Before he could see who it was he woke with a start, soaked in sweat.  
  
Roman's heart was pounding as he sat up on the edge of the bed taking slow deep breaths. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced at the clock. He was shocked to find that it was already approaching 5pm, time to get up.  
  
Even after he showed and dressed the dreams were still swirling in his mind. For the most part he rarely dreamt at all and Roman couldn't remember a time when his dreams had been so detailed and vivid. He tried to push the memories away but they kept creeping back leaving an uneasy feeling in his stomach. Roman hated to admit it but he was concerned about his new neighbour.  
  
A few weeks ago after he and Kate had witnessed Sami and Lucas arguing in front of Will they had decided that they would try to put the past behind them and at least act civil towards one another. The poor kid had to see his parents arguing and he didn't need to see his grandparents fighting all the time too.  
  
Up until this morning they had been getting along quite well but Roman was afraid they were back to square one. He knew he was asking for trouble trying to talk Kate out of moving in to the O'Malley house. She is so stubborn that she would stay there just to spite him.  
  
In frustration Roman flung a stack of magazines off the coffee table onto the floor. He stared for a moment at the mess lying at his feet then bent over and began to pick the books up. "Get a grip," he told himself.  
  
Roman noticed it was starting to get dark already so he decided to get his mail before it was pitch black. He glanced over at Kate's as he walked towards the mailbox. The moving trucks were gone and her car sat alone in the driveway. He could see her figure moving around the living room through the large bay window. Roman considered going over to apologize for their argument that morning and decided against it but at the last moment he made a sharp left and stopped in front of Kate's door.  
  
He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "What the hell do you want?" Kate answered the door.  
  
When Kate spoke in that tone of voice it always brought Roman's defences up and it took all the strength he had not to give her another good argument. Clenching his fists Roman quickly began to speak before he had time to change his mind, "I just came over to tell you that I didn't mean what I said earlier."  
  
"What part? You said a lot, too much actually." She glared at him with her intense hazel eyes.  
  
"When I said not to come knocking on my door if you get scared. I didn't mean it, okay!" Roman paused sucking in a large gulp of air. "If there's anything you need just call or come over."  
  
Her posture relaxed a bit and her eyes softened, "Thank you but you don't have to worry about that, I'll be just fine on my own."  
  
They stood there looking at each other in an awkward moment of silence, "Was there something else you wanted Roman?" Kate raised her eyebrows.  
  
"Uh, no, that was it. I guess I'll be on my way. Night Kate." With a wave he was gone.  
  
**  
  
Kate was still unpacking boxes near midnight when she heard the first rumbles of thunder off in the distance. In a matter of minutes the rain was pouring down. Kate scurried around the house making sure all the windows were shut. She started in the kitchen and worked her way around the big house until she was satisfied that they were all closed and secured tightly.  
  
There were a couple more boxes Kate wanted to get unpacked before bed so she went back to work. Kate jumped as a vicious boom of thunder shook the house. The black night sky lit up with several intense bolts of lightning. Kate's heart was racing, she had always hated storms.  
  
The lights flickered with another loud rumble of thunder and flash of lightning. Kate started to rummage through boxes searching for candle or a flashlight. Too late, the lights flicked again and went out. Kate heard a crash in the kitchen and the shatter of glass.  
  
She couldn't see a thing so she felt her way towards the kitchen. The crunch of glass under her feet made her freeze on the spot. The lightning flashed again and she caught a brief glimpse of the kitchen window. It was open and the shudders swung in the wind. "No, no way. I shut that window, I know I did." Her hands began to shake as her mind immediately took her to Roman's words from this morning.  
  
"Stop it Kate! The house is not haunted, there are no such thing as ghosts. The wind must have blown the window open somehow and the shutters knocked the vase off the counter." Kate gingerly stepped towards the window as the glass from the broken vase crunched under her shoes. She placed a hand on the countertop and quickly shut the window with the other hand. She felt a sting on her hand and realized there must have been some glass on the counter.  
  
"Dammit, I need a flashlight or at least some candles." She knew where to get some but she was having a hard time overcoming her stubborn pride to go over to Roman's.  
  
**  
  
Roman cursed as the TV and lights suddenly went out. He worked his way into the kitchen, grabbed a flashlight and began to light all the candles in the living room. He was interrupted by a frantic knock on the door.  
  
He ran over and yanked the door open, he shone the flashlight towards the figure standing there. "Kate, are you alright?"  
  
"Uh, yeah I just wondered if you had..." Kate paused and glanced down at her hand, "Oh my God." Roman followed her gaze. Her left hand was covered in blood seeping from a nasty gash in the middle of her palm. A look a panic seized her and she met his eyes, "Roman..."  
  
Kate's eyes rolled back and her knees buckled. Roman reached out just in time to keep her from hitting the ground. He lifted Kate's limp body into his arms and carried her inside closing the door with his foot. 


	3. Ch 3

Chapter Three  
  
Kate looked at her bandaged hand as she wandered into the kitchen to clean up the mess. When she came to lying on Roman's couch he'd already cleaned her cut and covered it with a bandaid. The cut wasn't very bad at all but it had bled a lot. Kate was squeamish about the sight of blood and the shock of seeing so much blood on her hand made her pass out.  
  
The lights had come back on just a few minutes after she woke. The storm was over and the rain had almost stopped. Roman gave her a flashlight anyway just to be safe. She thanked him for everything and went home.  
  
The brief moment they had shared has renewed their sense of respect for each other after the argument earlier. Roman appreciated the fact that she had put aside her pride and came to him for help. Kate was grateful to him for taking care of her and for holding back all the pretentious comments that he easily could have made.  
  
Kate carefully swept up the glass and check to make sure the window was secure. Then she moved through the living room towards her bedroom but a light in Roman's house caught her eye. She crept closer to the window for a better look. She was gazing straight into Roman's bedroom as he kicked off his underwear and stood there in the nude.  
  
"Wow," Kate couldn't tear her gaze away from Roman's body. She couldn't believe what she was seeing and she suddenly found herself becoming very horny. She had an idea and she grabbed the phone positioning herself out of sight behind the curtain before dialling Roman's number.  
  
"Brady," Kate heard Roman's deep voice and combined with the view it sent chills down her spine.  
  
"Hi Roman," she said sweetly.  
  
"Kate?" he said questioningly, "Is there something wrong?"  
  
"No, no, everything's fine, the view is great," Kate bit her lip to keep from giggling.  
  
Roman looked confused, "The view? What are you talking about?" He took a couple steps to the right and he was almost out of sight.  
  
"Hey now, stop right there officer." Roman froze. "Now take two steps to the left and face the window," Kate instructed. He did exactly as he was told and a smile spread across his face as he finally figured out what was going on.  
  
"How's that Kate? Can you see everything you want to see?" he asked with a laugh.  
  
His self-confidence astounded her. Kate had expected him to cover himself up as soon as he realized she was watching. "Mmm yeah, I can see everything that's for sure."  
  
"I'm going to throw my pride on the line here and ask if you like what you see Kate." He was looking around trying to find out where she was watching him from but she stayed out of sight, hidden by the curtains.  
  
Kate chuckled and let out a slight groan. Roman felt his body tense as she continued in a low husky voice, "I must admit I am very pleasantly surprised. You sure have a whole lot to look at. I think I know why they call you Captain."  
  
Those words from any other woman would have shocked him but hearing them from Kate merely left him even more turned on. "Actually Kate you don't, not yet anyway."  
  
"Not yet? Are you implying something Roman?"  
  
"Am I implying something? I'm standing here naked while you stare at me from an undisclosed location. I thought maybe you were implying something. Besides Kate I really don't think this situation is fair." Roman paused. "You've seen me naked, now every time we see each other your mind is going to wander to this moment. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable so if I were to see you naked than we'd be even right?"  
  
Kate sighed, "I guess you do have a point there," she couldn't help but giggle as the various implications of that statement. Pulling herself together she continued, "Turn off your light, it's easier to see out that way."  
  
Roman moved across the room and flicked off the light switch. By the time he got back to the window there was a light on inside Kate's house. His heart pounded in anticipation as he stared at the silhouette of her body visible behind the drapes. Roman watched as Kate moved into full view and stood with her back to the window. He shuddered as she slowly let her robe slide off revealing the perfect body Roman expected. When she turned around Roman was frozen in place as he held his breath. The thud of the phone hitting the floor brought him back to reality as he scrambled onto the floor to pick it up. "Kate? Sorry I dropped the phone."  
  
She laughed, "I'll take that as a compliment. Roman...it's getting pretty late so if you're going to come over here you really should do it soon."  
  
"Was that an invitation because I got the impression we were just going to have phone sex."  
  
"No way Brady. You promised to show me just why they call you Captain. Besides there are a few things I'd like to show you." Kate said seductively as she run a hand from her throat, between her breasts to her stomach.  
  
Roman glanced down at naked body, "Just let me throw some clothes on and I'll be right over."  
  
"Ah come on Roman, just run on over here like that, it not very far." Kate suggested.  
  
"You know the neighbours are gonna start to talk if they we keep making these late night trips to each others houses." Roman teased.  
  
"Well then, let's give them something to talk about. Hurry Roman, I want you." With that final statement she hung up.  
  
"I can just see the headlines 'Salem Police Captain Caught Streaking'," Roman thought as he ran across the lawn to Kate's front door. She yanked the door open before he had a chance to knock and he quickly stepped inside and closed the door behind him.  
  
Kate looked him from head to toe and smiled as her gaze lingered, "I can see it's cold outside," Kate giggled. "Don't worry though, it's about to get really hot in here." Kate took a step closer and put her hands on his hips. They felt warm against his cold skin and it made him shiver. Kate looked into his eyes as she run her hands around to his lower back then down over his butt. "Roman you have a really nice ass."  
  
He laughed, "Thanks but there's only one nice ass here and it's not mine Kate." He saw that sexy wicked smile and the seductive gleam in her eye. Roman knew this was not going to be a night of passionate love making as Kate threw him up against the front door and went to work. He could feel just how turned on she was as Kate took control of his body.  
  
Her soft hands feverish explored his entire body as she pressed herself against him. Roman had never had sex with a woman who took charge like this and he found it incredibly erotic. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this hot. He wasn't sure whether to remain submissive or to try and dominate. He decided it was time to show Kate that he could take control too.  
  
Roman grabbed her wrists just before her hands reached their destination midway down the front of his body. She looked at him with a sultry pout and he spun around pinning her against the door hands high above her head. He hovered over her keeping his lips just far enough away that she couldn't reach them but she got him when she stuck out her tongue and licked him. Roman opened his mouth and moved closer to let her completely inside.  
  
The kiss was incredible, it was sexy and sensual yet wild and passionate. Slowly he released his grip on her wrists, he already missed her touch and couldn't wait to feel her hands on his body once again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and using the door for support she lifted herself placing her legs around his waist.  
  
Roman took a step back so her weight was entirely upon him. She leaned back as he kissed her neck and breasts. When she moved in and savagely attacked his lips it threw him off balance and despite his efforts to steady himself they tumbled to the floor.  
  
Kate pounced on top of him immediately, "Roman I want you now, all of you." Without hesitation he gave her exactly what she wanted. Kate's sighs and moans told him that she was enjoying it every bit as much as he was. They were so completely caught up in the rhythm of the moment that neither one of them noticed the translucent figure that stood watching.  
  
A beautiful young woman clutching a shot gun, her face contorted in an expression of fury and betrayal looked on as Kate and Roman made love in the entryway of the O'Malley house. 


	4. Ch 4

Chapter Four  
  
Somehow in the wee hours of the morning Kate and Roman had managed to make it to the bedroom. They made love once again before falling asleep in the tangled mess of sheets. There were no frightening dreams for Roman this night as he relived each and every kiss, touch, and moment of pleasure that they had shared. The intensely erotic dreams left him aching for Kate once again when he woke up.  
  
He opened his eyes and went to reach for Kate but she was gone. "Maybe she's in the shower," he thought and headed for the washroom. The bathroom was empty so he began to wander the rest of the house calling out to Kate. Roman peeked out the window and saw that her car was still sitting in the driveway. "Now this is weird, where could she be?" Roman thought as he reentered the bedroom.  
  
He gazed around the room, then bent over and looked under the bed. "I did not just do that!" he said out loud, shaking his head at his own stupidity. He tried to save face by telling himself that a good cop is always thorough in his investigation. Roman remembered that there was a silky robe hanging on the back of the door that had fallen onto the floor during their wild encounter and he noticed that it was missing.  
  
Roman was starting to get worried. He knew that Kate wasn't the type to go wandering the streets early in the morning wearing only a skimpy robe and his gut instinct told him something was wrong. I have to go look for her," he thought. "But first I need some clothes. How the hell am I gonna get to my place ?" Roman began to search for a towel or something but Kate still had a ton of boxes left to unpack and he didn't have time to start searching through them. He spotted a large black garbage bag lying on the floor and had an idea.  
  
He knew how ridiculous he looked and Roman prayed that he wouldn't run into anyone outside but as soon as he stepped out the door he ran smack into the nosey old biddy from across the street out walking her dog. "Roman ?" she looked him up and down. "What on earth are you doing in the O'Malley house? And why are you wearing a garbage bag?"  
  
"What?" he shot he a confused look, "Oh right, I almost forgot I had this thing on, ha!" He flashed her a smile, "Actually a friend moved in here yesterday and she's having some uh, plumbing issues. I came by to lend her a hand but there was water spraying everywhere so I put on this garbage bag over my clothes," he cringed slightly realizing that he'd put a little too much emphasis on that last part. Before she had a chance to respond Roman took off with a wave.  
  
Moments later he was back outside minus the garbage bag and fully dressed. He wasn't sure where to even begin looking for Kate as he checked their back yards and wandered once around the block. There were no signs of her anywhere. Roman looked towards the dark forest that loomed in the distance. It was the same forest that Karen O'Malley had disappeared into, never to be found again, all those years ago. With a sinking feeling he made his way into the woods.  
  
Once he was out of the sun it was very chilly. He thought about Kate in only her robe, "She must be freezing. I have to find her right away." He called out and his voice seemed to get lost in the dense brush. He shivered but it wasn't from the cold. Roman had a sense that someone was watching him and no matter how hard he tried it was a feeling he just couldn't shake.  
  
Roman worked his way deeper and deeper into the forest. He had explored these woods as a kid but had never gone in quite this far. He slapped at the bugs that were attacking the back of his neck. "Dammit Kate, where are you?" he said out loud.  
  
A bird made a loud squeal from high above startling Roman and bringing a wave of goosebumps to his arms. He arrived at a tiny clearing where the ground was nothing but soft mud. Through the center of the mud he saw fresh footprints made by someone in bare feet and he knew they were Kate's.  
  
He ran around the edge of the mud and back into the forest on the other side. Roman began to move quicker, the branches and twigs snapping under his feet. The dank mossy smell of trees and wet mud filled his nostrils and he choked on the scent. He could see something up ahead but couldn't quite make out what it was. As he got closer he realized that it was a tiny old Cemetery.  
  
The wrought iron fence was caked with rust and leaned dangerously, ready to fall at any time. The gravestones were all toppled and lay in a scattered mess. Roman shivered and he felt a nagging sense of anger, at the lack of respect for the dead, that he saw in front of him.  
  
Roman was relieved when he spotted Kate on the far side of the graveyard. She looked so helpless, like a little girl, curled up tightly in a ball lying on the ground next to a fallen gravestone. He ran to her and fell to his knees at her side. Kate's legs and feet ware scratched and she was covered in bug bites. He gently touched her shoulder and shook her, "Kate, wake up."  
  
She lifted her head and looked at him. Her hair was a disheveled mess and her cheeks were streaked with mud and tear stains. "Roman? What...what's going on..." she looked around utterly confused. "Where am I ?" As soon as Kate realized she was in a graveyard she started to panic. "Oh God, Oh God.." Her hands were shaking and she gulped in the stale air almost hyperventilating.  
  
Roman reached for her and pulled her into his arms. He stroked her hair and rubbed her back while he whispered soothing words in her ear. She sobbed against him her whole body shaking in his arms. Roman continued to hold her tight, she was freezing and he removed his jacket, placing it over her shoulders.  
  
He was almost sitting on top the gravestone she'd been lying beside. He reached out and tugged at the thick moss. Roman had a feeling he knew exactly what name he was going to find cut into the stone. His suspicions were confirmed as he pulled away the last chunk of moss and revealed the name. James O'Malley, 1890-1923, Gone but not Forgotten.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye Roman caught a glimpse of a figure fading slowly away. His heart began to pound as he watched the ghost of Karen O'Malley disappearing into the trees. 


	5. Ch 5

Chapter Five  
  
Kate drew back from Roman and he could see that her eyes were still full of fear but the confusion had dissipated somewhat. "You saw her didn't you?" Kate's voice shook as she slowly whispered each word. "I can tell by the look on your face." Kate's teary eyes shifted and her nails dug into Roman's arms as she glanced around the graveyard.  
  
"It's okay, she's gone. I'm here and you're safe now." Roman reached out and put a hand under her chin, "Let's get you home okay, then you can tell me what you remember." He could feel her chin shaking in his hand and he knew she was fighting off the tears that were threatening to spill over. He stood up and gently helped her to her feet. She slid her arms into his jacket and pulled it tight around her. Then Roman lifted her into his arms.  
  
She struggled a bit, "Roman you don't have to carry me, I can walk, please put me down."  
  
"Kate you don't have any shoes, your legs are all scraped and you're freezing. Please don't be stubborn. Just hang on tight and let me carry you." He was pleasantly surprised when she didn't put up a fight and simply wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled close to his body. She craved the warmth that radiated from him and before long she finally quit shivering.  
  
It was a long walk back home and Roman's arms ached by the time he set Kate down on her front step and led her into the house. Kate looked down at her legs covered in mud and scratches, "I, I need to take a shower," she said hesitantly. "Will you come with me? I need a distraction. Please, Roman take my mind off that graveyard and ghosts and everything else, I need you," Kate pleaded.  
  
He wasn't sure what to say. He was certainly willing to make love to Kate anytime but he didn't want to take advantage of her. "Kate I don't know, you've been through a lot. You're not thinking clearly right now."  
  
She reached for him, "Roman, I don't want to think about what happened after we went to bed last night. Take me back to before all that, I want to remember what it was like to feel your touch and your kisses. Please come shower with me, make love to me again. I, ...I'm not ready to be alone." The tears were running down her face once again. "I really need you right now, please." She squeezed his hand tighter and tugged him towards the bathroom.  
  
He followed her and they both undressed and climbed into the steamy hot shower. Kate grabbed the soap and ducked under the water quickly lathering her body and rinsing off the mud and dirt. When she was satisfied that she had removed the grime she turned her attention towards Roman. One step closed the gap between them and her wet lips found his in an instant. Her kisses were passionate yet unbridled in desperation. As Kate pushed the kiss deeper and deeper Roman could barely breath. When she finally released him he was gasping for air.  
  
"Touch me Roman. Touch me everywhere." Without hesitation he complied with her brazen request and explored every inch of her. His hands worked over her back and front, his lips found her breasts, he slid his legs against hers. Kate's eyes were closed and her face was twisted in ecstasy. He pressed her against the cool tiled wall of the shower and felt her shiver slightly. Squeezing his hands between her back and the wall he slid them down until he found her smooth buttocks. Once Roman had a firm grasp he lifted her using the wall for support. Her legs widened and wrapped around him and he gently lowered her onto him.  
  
As they moved together their moans and sighs paralleled the rhythm of their bodies. Before long the shower was just too hot and they moved out of the bathroom and into Kate's bedroom. They continued to make love until they were both exhausted and fell back naked on top the sheets with the sun glaring in through the curtains.  
  
Roman watched as Kate slowly drifted off to sleep. He glanced at his watch and realized that he had to leave for work. He gently got up off the bed and found a blanket to put over Kate. "Sweet dreams Katie," he whispered. He quickly got dressed and wrote Kate a note letting her know he'd stop by after work. It made him rather nervous to leave her alone so he called Lucas on his way to the station. Roman felt better when Lucas agreed to head over in a few hors to check on her after he explained what had happened.  
  
**  
  
Kate woke up and found Roman's note. She was still a bit nervous to be alone but she tried her best to shake off the fear. Lucas stopped by and stayed with her for a while and promised he call to check on her. After he left Kate busied herself, unpacking more boxes and trying to make the place more like home.  
  
As evening approached Kate anticipated Roman's return. Finally she heard a knock on the door. She made her way towards the front door as the knock turned into a loud impatient banging. "Okay, okay, I'm coming, calm down," she shouted.  
  
When she opened the door Roman was standing there and he looked extremely uncomfortable, "Roman?"  
  
He glared at her before finally speaking very slowly, "Kate Roberts I am going to kill you!" 


	6. Ch 6

Chapter Six  
  
Kate's eyes widened as Roman pushed past her into the house. She shut the door feeling thoroughly confused by his words then slowly turned and waited for him to explain. He was glaring at her but there was something in his eyes that eased her worry. His apparent irritation could not mask that twinkle of amusement he was trying to hide.  
  
Roman couldn't seem to stand still and Kate followed him as he paced around the room, "So Kate how was your day, hmm? I bet it wasn't nearly as much fun as mine was!" he began. She watched him with a curious eye, not sure whether he expected an answer or not. Roman kept walking and sort of wriggling around as he moved, "He looks like he's got fleas or something," Kate thought trying not to laugh out loud at Roman's obvious discomfort.  
  
Breaking another lengthy moment of silence Kate spoke, "Okay Roman, I've apparently done something to annoy you, which I am certainly unaware of, so could you maybe get to the point and tell me what's got you so uptight?" Roman continued to pace around so she reached out and grabbed his arm to try and stop him.  
  
Roman froze with her hand wrapped around his forearm, "Ah ha! Would you look at that," he pointed at her hand. "This is your fault, see those little red bumps Kate."  
  
She glanced at her hand and was surprised to see that it was covered in some sort of rash. Now that she realized it was there her hand started to feel itchy and she let go of Roman's arm and began to scratch. Roman sighed, "Don't scratch Kate, it'll spread. Here put this on it." He pulled a bottle of Calamine lotion from his pocket and handed it to her.  
  
She accepted it and looked at the label, "Well aren't you just a walking drug store! Do you make a habit of carrying this stuff around?"  
  
"Only when I need it!" he shot back.  
  
"So you have this rash too? Where?" Kate asked innocently.  
  
Groaning in frustration Roman gave her another one of those glares, "Well thanks to you and your magic fingers last night it just so happens that I have those little red bumps pretty much everywhere!"  
  
"Everywhere," Kate said slowly as his words sunk in, "even..." Roman nodded and she couldn't hold the giggles any longer. "I'm so sorry," she said through her laughter.  
  
"Kate, it's not funny," he said with a pout.  
  
She gave him a sheepish grin, "Aw you poor thing. Do you need me to put some more lotion on for you?" Kate snickered.  
  
When their eyes met Roman finally gave in and they both started to laugh. He pulled Kate into his embrace trapping her arms at her sides. "I'm not letting those lethal weapons anywhere near the few Poison Ivy free zones I have left." He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers and they kissed passionately. When they parted he leaned in again and kissed the tip of her nose before releasing her.  
  
Roman's expression changed as began to speak solemnly, "I did a little research today and I found some rather strange information. Apparently James O'Malley was not buried here in Salem. His body was shipped to his family in Ireland."  
  
"What? How can that be? That grave I was lying beside had his name on it?" Kate bewilderedly replied.  
  
Roman shook his head, "I don't know but it gets even weirder Kate. I checked out the county and city maps from the early 1900's right up until present and that graveyard we were in does not appear on any of them."  
  
Before Kate had a chance to reply a door slammed somewhere upstairs and she screamed reaching for Roman. "Oh my God, what was that?" Another loud noise made them both jump as the same kitchen window that had busted before suddenly flew open. The wind was whistling through as the curtains flapped in the strong breeze.  
  
Clinging tightly to Roman's side Kate began to shake, she was covered in goosebumps, her eyes open wide with fear on the verge of tears. "I'm going to go upstairs and check it out," Roman whispered.  
  
"I'm coming too," Kate hissed and clutched the back of his shirt following him up the stairs. When they reached the landing they could see that Kate's bedroom door was the only one shut. They only took one step then froze in shock as the door began to creak open. Kate let out a whimper as the tears wet her cheeks. Roman took another couple of steps forward and she was forced to follow or she'd have to let go of her secure hold on his body.  
  
The lights flickered as the door crept open even more. Kate gasped when she caught a glimpse of the three ghostly figures in her room. Suddenly they were plunged into complete darkness and the silence was shattered by a gunshot followed by a mournful wail that filled the entire house. 


	7. Conclusion

Conclusion  
  
Roman tucked Kate in tight behind him when the door flew wide open. The wails continued to fill the house. Lights clicked on inside the bedroom, though the rest of the house remained pitch black. They watched in amazement as a ghostly figure came running out of the room. Karen O'Malley was headed straight towards Roman at full speed. He tried to dodge out of the way but it was too late. An icy sensation prickled his skin as he watched her move through the right half of his body. Stunned, Roman was frozen in place, by the time he turned around the ghost had disappeared down the stairs.  
  
Kate was hysterical, "Roman, oh my god, Roman? Are you okay? Did you see that, it was insane. She went right through you. Oh my god, we have to get out of here," Kate clawed at him, grabbing his arm. "Come on, let's go, let's go, right now." She tugged him, pleading for Roman to leave.  
  
He grabbed her shoulders trying to calm her down, "Kate, take a deep breath."  
  
"No, no, come on let's go. We have to get out..."  
  
"Kate. Kate, look at me. Kate." He shook her slightly to snap her out of the panicked state she was in. "Calm down, take a deep breath." She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "Okay, okay, that's better. We're going to be fine," he reassured her. When the light flickered and came back on, Kate managed a weak smile. Roman touched her cheek, "Are you okay now?" She nodded slowly. "Alright, I'm going in the room to check it out. Do you want to wait out here?"  
  
"Hell no, I'm coming with you." Kate clung to the back of his shirt and followed him into the bedroom.  
  
The room was empty, except for a piece of paper lying on the middle of the bed. Roman picked it up and held it out for Kate to see. She read it out loud, "It's over. Goodbye for eternity. Karen." Roman turned the paper over, it was blank on the back. When he turned it over again the writing was gone. "What? Roman there, there, was writing on that paper. What's going on?" Kate's voice was shaky.  
  
"I have no idea but this keeps getting creepier, let's get out of here. You can stay at my place tonight." He crumpled the paper and tossed it back on the bed. Then he placed his arm around Kate and led her slowly downstairs and across to his house.  
  
***  
  
The following day Kate had packed up her things and moved back to the Salem Inn. Now six months later she was moving once again. Roman looked around his house at all the boxes and things that were piling up, wondering where they were going to put all of Kate's stuff.  
  
He cleared a place on the couch and plopped down. His mind drifted back to that night.  
  
When they were safely inside Roman's house Kate fell in his arms. He held her until she finally calmed down. She whispered in his ear, "Roman you can't tell anyone about what happened tonight." She pulled back and looked into his eyes, "This has to stay between you and me, our little secret. People will think we're crazy for one thing, plus there's no way I'll be able to sell that house if word gets out about what happened."  
  
Roman raised his eyebrows, "Kate you know what they say about people who share a secret? It bonds them, forever."  
  
Finally she smiled at him, that dazzling smile, that lit up her whole face, "Roman, we went from hating each other to great sex. Maybe we should work on the in between stuff before we start using words like forever."  
  
He laughed, "Yeah, you're probably right. Besides the poison ivy puts a bit of a damper on the great sex anyway."  
  
"Mmm, but there's always this." She placed a light kiss on his lips, then kissed him a little harder, nipping on his bottom lip as she pulled back.  
  
Roman was brought back to the present when Kate sat down on his lap and put her arms around his neck, "What are you thinking about?" she asked softly.  
  
"You, me, kissing, words like great sex and forever," he replied with a grin.  
  
"Well why don't we turn those words into actions." The kiss he'd been dreaming about came to life and before long they were well on their way to great sex too. When Roman lay her down on the couch and moved on top of her one of them hit the remote and the television clicked on. Unfortunately the mood was spoiled when they both started to laugh uncontrollably at the song coming from the television, "There's something weird in the neighborhood, who're you gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS!" 


End file.
